Shipbuilding



Aug. 25, 1925. 1,550,888

C. R. DILLON SHIPVBUILDING Filed Jan. 8. 1920 Ihre/750k l,ver

Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

CHARLES R. DILLON, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SHIPBUILDING.

Application led January 8, 192.

To all 'u1/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. DILLON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Newark, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Shipbuilding, of which the following .is a. specification.

The invention consists of a novel method of and apparatus for constructing a ship, whereby the faults that commonly occur in practice can be discovered early enough to be corrected, or, in most cases, entirely prevented, and to permit of a quicker and more economical launching.

Under either of the two methods of building ships in vogue, it often occurs that the ship is too long, that one side is, longer than the other, or one side too low when checked against the drawings.

Under the fabricating system where the plates, floors, frames, etc., are delivered to the yard from a distance all punched and shaped for erection, an error at the start would follow throughout the remainder of the boat causing expensive reaming, and regulating to overcome unfair holes if not causing the loss of plates, etc., that can not be rectified.

ln the case where the plates are lifted from the ship and punched as the construction goes on, unfair holes would not result, but the ship would still be too long, one side longer than the other, or one side too low.

Obviously, to prevent these errors, or to discover them so that they can be corrected early, saves labor, material, and speeds up production.

Adjustable blocks located exactly from the drawings with their proper level will give many points of reference enabling workmen to build to them.

The chief object of the present invention is to eliminate the guesswork above alluded to in the building of ships, and to substitute therefor a rational system of construction that will insure the work being done strictly according to scale, by indicating plainly to what points to build, and providing the most effective and labor-saving appliances and supports at these very points.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparant as the specification proceeds.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a detailed description of the invention:

Fig. l is a top plan view, giving the out- Serial N0. 350,077.

lin@ of a ships hull with a complete layout of combined supports and markers therefor embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation;

F ig. 4 is a side view of an improved form of keel-block included in the said layout;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the irregular line aM-b of Fig. 4l, looking toward the right, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a side view of an improved bilgeblock also comprised in the layout;

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section on the line c-Z of Fig. 6, again looking in the direction of the arrows, toward the right;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the lower and upper members of the said keel-block, showing oppositely inclined faces thereof adapted for superimposition `one upon the other; and an oil groove'upon the bearing surface of the lower member;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a driftpin, used in connection with the said members;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an iinproved form of block appertaining to the support for either end of the ship, that is, for the stem or stern, as the case may be; and F ig. 11 is a similar view of a pedestal employed in conjunction with the several forms of blocks above mentioned.

As will be observed with particular reference to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the invention is applied cxclusively to the hull of a vessel, designated by the letter A. The entire rigging, therefore, has been omitted; and as to the body itself of the ship, the various elements that enter into its formation have likewise been ignored, for the reason that they do not affect, nor are they related to, the improvements herein disclosel, otherwise than in matters of general configuration and dimensional measurements. The contour of the hull, however, as well as its length and breadth, have a very material bearing upon the invention, and the manner of utilizing the same.

In carrying the invention into practice, recourse is had to a number of combined supports and markers made up of the aforesaid keel, bilge, and end blocks, respectively designed to sustain the vessels body along a central line running fore-andaft, as also on either side thereof. As eX- emplified in the said Figures l, 2 and 3, the keel and the stem and stern frames rest entirely upon the said central line of supports, while the bilge is encompassed by similar appliances laterally disposed. Both the central and the lateral supports or appliances can be used as markers to indicate the points which the sundry timbers, plates, or other elements entering into the composition of the vessels structure should reach or stop at, as reckoned Irom some other definitely located point, such as the stem or -the stern, for instance, or else from one support or appliance to another. The intervals occupied by the several elements, it is understood, correspond to the distances between the points taken for the measurements, which latter, of course, are determined by the working drawings.

All the blocks included in the layout Iaforementioned are arranged to bear each upon a base or foundation plate, herein designated by the reference numeral l. This base plate is adapted to be bolted to the floor of the drydock where the vessel is built or set up, and to project or extend a suiiicient distance under the hull to afford a stable foundation for the latter as it bears cn the block carried by the plate.

Upon the said base rests a pedestal 2, bolted thereto in its forward portion, which is relatively low as illustrated in Figs. 4, 6 and 1l. The rear part of this pedestal is considerably higher, as represented in the same views, and is intended to receive and sustain any one of the previously named blocks, which also may be bolted to hold them rigidly in place.

Figures 4, 5, 8, and 9 show the preferred construction of keel-block, before referred to. It will be seen that this block is composed of two main parts, respectively numbered 3 and 4, and adapted for superimposition, one upon the other. The lower part 3 is mounted, when in use, upon the high portion of the pedestal 2, above described, and in turn it is made/td receive the upper part 4. The adjoining faces of the two parts 3 and 4 are inclined in opposite directions, as clearly seen in Figs. 4 and S, so that the upper part can readily slide off the lower part, when required. Normally, however, these two parts are interlocked, by means of a drift-pin 5, made to engage transverse grooves in the I.said adjoining faces of the parts 3 and 4. The drift-pin is made tapering, as detailed in Fig. 9, and it is entered into the opposite grooves of the two-part block in the manner indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Preferably, the upper face of the lower part 3 is centrally depressed to form a channel adapted to receive and to be engaged by a correspondingly reduced portion of the upper part 4, depending from the under face of the latter. Owing to the reduced portion of part 4 engaging the channel in the part 3, it will be understood that the two component members of the keel-block are safeguarded against lateral displacement, and they can be parted only in a longitudinal direction, that is, along their inclined faces, which are properly set parallel to the ways from which the vessel is to be launched. The upper member, of course, is caused to slide off the lower member in that same direction, after thc removal of the drift-pin 5. Suitable provision may be made for facilitating this sliding movement. Preferably and as shown, a groove of suitable dimensions and shape is formed in the bearing face of the said lower member 3 into which groove a lubricant may be injected at the proper time.

The said upper member 4 of the keelblock has opposed walls, one on each side, between which is placed an internal member 6, detachably bolted to the keel. The latter named member is preferably made so that its surface will lie about one quarter of an inch lower than the upper edges of the member 4, which enables it to be easily removed to allow final riveting of the plates that are secured to the keel, prior to the launching. Meanwhile the keel rests on opposite sides upon the walls of the member 4, which is provided with outwardly extending flanges for the purpose.

A line of keel-blocks of the type hereinabove described is placed under the keel of the hull A, as indicated by dotted lines in the central longitudinal portion of Fig. l. Similar rows of bilge-blocks, of the kind presently to be described, are positioned by the opposite sides of the vessel, the said rows appearing partly in full and partly dotted in, along the lateral edges of the same figure.

As illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, each bilgeblock of the improved kind herein disclosed comprises, in addition to the base plate l and pedestal 2 before mentioned, an external member 7, and an internal member 8, lodged therein. The member 7 is curved in its forward portion so as to conform to the curvature of the bilge, and it is further provided with forwardly disposed flanges of corresponding shape to afford it an ample bearing upon the outside thereof. The member 8 is similarly curved forward, where it is bolted to the bilge, while the member 7 is bolted to the pedestal. The upper edges of the receiving member 7 are made to project approximately a quarter of an inch above the surface of the member 8 therein contained, that the latter may be readily removed for the final riveting of the plates on the bilge, as in the case of the keel-block, from which the detachable block G is taken out for a like purpose, as previously explained. This part of the operation, it will be perceived, permits all of lll) the rivets to be driven without disturbing the position of the vessel, because the receiving members l and 7 will continue to carry the weight thereof until the time for launching has arrived.

The end supports for the hull include each a form block 9, also used in connection with a base plate l and a pedestal 2, and designed to hold either the stem or the stern in position, the height of the block being varied to suit each, as suggested in Fig. 2. The block 9, as seen in Fig. l0, is provided with suitable holes for bolts, with which to fasten it to the pedestal and to the stem and stern frames. It is so constructed as to be easily taken off, without disturbing the position of the vessel, after the stem and stern plates are securely fastened.

It will be noted that the base plate l and pedestal 2 are permanent fixtures appertaining to the various forms of blocks herein described. As to the blocks proper, the several members .thereof are provided with holes enabling them to be bolted to one another, and also, when united, to be secured to the keel, bilge, stem and stern of the vessel, respectively. When suitably positioned, the blocks composing the layout determine the correct length and beam, as well as the center line of the keel. It is understood that the ship rests on the blocks, and when she is ready for launching, the detachable members are removed and the slidable parts of the blocks are knocked out. Then the ship settles down on the ways, and slides into the water without difficulty, and with no loss of time or labor.

Numerous advantages are gained through the use of the adjustable and flexible layout of combined supports and markers herein shown and described. The blocks respectively placed at the bow, stern, keel, and sides of the ship indicate its various dimensions. This insures accuracy in constructing the vessel according to drawings, and entirely eliminates what is known as the human element in shipbuilding, that is, in determining the dimensions required. The workmen know exactly to what points to build, and their task is performed accurately as the work progresses. The layout can be set up to the correct length and beam of the vessel from the working drawings, before the building thereof is commenced. Its use operates to reduce the cost of eliicient labor to a very appreciable extent, as it expedites the work of construction by obviating irregular fitting. Thus, for instance, it saves time, and the tools as well, by avoiding unnecessary reaming, which results from the ill-fitting of certain parts. It also reduces the scrap to a minimum, by preventing waste of material. It further precludes the frequent lifting of floor frames or the like, and returning the same to the smithshop for adjustment, since the layout for the ship structure is set up to the same drawings for which the mol-ds were made. The layout is adjustable and flexible in that the same castings can be used for any size of vessel within the capacity of the ways. Finally, it reduces the launching time to a considerable extent, and also lessens by about one-half the number of men required to effect the launching. After the ship has been launched, the layout can be set up again for the succeeding vessel much more expeditiously than can be done by mounting the same in accordance with the old-time custom.

In its broader aspects, the invention is not limited to the precise constructions sho-wn and described nor to any particular construction by which the same may be carried into eect, as many changes may be made in the details without departing from the main principles of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

I claim:

l. A keel block including in combination a plurality of frame like members and comprising a base member having a forward pedestal member and a rearwardly extending lower portion to afford a stable foundation, a lower main member supported on said pedestal member, and an upper main member resting on said lower member, the contacting faces of said main members being inclined in the same direction, whereby when released from engagement the upper member will slide oif the lower member in the direction of the length of the keel.

2. A keel block including in combination a base member adapted to be bolted to the shipway and having a forward frame like pedestal and a rearwardly extending lower portion to give stability to the structure, a main lower member adapted to be bolted to said pedestal, a main upper member resting on said lower member, the contacting faces of said members being inclined in the same direction, said members being kept from lateral displacement by flanges on said lower member engaging a depending portion of the lower surface of the upper member, said upper and lower members having oppositely formed grooves in their contacting surfaces, a tapering drift pin adapted to fit in said grooves and a reenforcing member adapted to lit in the upper of said main members, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

CHARLES R. DILLON. 

